This invention relates to an intraoral stimulating implement for pressing various points, a jaw articulation, or the like from inside the mouth for various treatment.
In oriental medicine, it has been known that there are a plurality of points on the face as shown in FIG. 5 and the patient can be recovered from various indisposition by stimulating a particular point with a needle or moxa.
For example, by stimulating Geikou points C located between the middle points of the outer peripheries A of the nosewings and the nasolabial folds B (i.e. folds on opposite sides of the nose), olfaction abnormalities, nasal congestion and the like can be cured. Symptoms of nasitis can be cured by stimulating Biryu points D or Sanshou points E. The Biryu points D are located at the middle points of straight lines joining the nostril, the nasal septum columella and the nosewing, and the Sanshou points are located at the middle points of the nasolabial folds below the Geikou points C. Further, by stimulating Koryou points F located at 3 cm outward from the nosewings, symptoms of nasal catarrh, trigeminal neuralgia and facial paralysis can be lightened.
When one opens the mouth wide with the right and left hands applied to the right and left jaw articulations, one can feel parts moving largely. When one suffers from an articular disease at the jaw or symptom of bruxism, the inside of the parts is stiff and strain of muscles is observed. In such a case, by pressing the jaw articulation rearwardly upward from behind the root of the upper and lower teeth with a finger, strain of the affected part is lightened, whereby various feelings of physical disorder such as a feeling that the jaws are wobbly, a feeling of oppression and pain when biting strongly can be lightened.
Since it is impossible to successfully press the Geikou point C, Koryou point F, and the like from the surface of the face for a long period, stimulation of such points has to be performed by a specialist. Similarly, it is impossible to press the jaw articulation with a finger for a long time from the inside of the mouth, stimulation of the jaw articulation also has to be performed by a specialist.
This applicant has proposed an intraoral stimulating implement which makes it feasible to stimulate, without relying on a specialist, various points or the jaw articulation without causing a sharp pain so that various remedial values can be expected (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10(1998)-28755). The intraoral stimulating implement comprises a mounting portion which is mounted on at least a part of the teeth and a pressing portion which is integrally fixed to the mounting portion so that it can press an affected part to be pressed for treatment from inside the mouth in a state where the mounting portion is mounted on the teeth.
Since the intraoral stimulating implement comprises a pressing portion which can press an affected part and is integrally fixed to a mounting portion, anybody can easily and effectively stimulate from inside the mouth an affected part near the mouth for the purpose of various remedial values by only mounting the intraoral stimulating implement of this invention on the teeth.
However, the intraoral stimulating implement is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to use for persons who feel a sense of incompatibility to introduction of a foreign matter in the mouth or dislike introducing a foreign matter in the mouth, and it is not suitable for use on a street.
In view of the foregoing observations and description, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an intraoral stimulating implement which can be used with ease even by persons who feel a sense of incompatibility to introduction of a foreign matter into the mouth or dislike introducing a foreign matter into the mouth and which is suitable for use on a street.
The intraoral stimulating implement (confectionary) in accordance with the present invention is characterized by having at least a mounting portion which is mounted on between a part of the teeth and a part of lips and a pressing portion which is integrally fixed to the mounting portion so that it presses an affected part to be pressed for treatment from inside the mouth in response to biting action of the upper and lower teeth.
Further, the intraoral stimulating implement (confectionary) in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that the mounting portion is arranged to be mounted in a recess of the lower jaw between the lower teeth and the lower lip while the pressing portion is arranged to be positioned in a recess of the upper jaw between the upper teeth and the upper lip, the pressing portion being shaped to be able to press upward the xe2x80x9cGeikouxe2x80x9d point, the xe2x80x9cBiryuxe2x80x9d point and/or the xe2x80x9cSanshouxe2x80x9d point from inside the upper lip.
The intraoral stimulating implement of the present invention may be arranged so that the mounting portion is mounted in a recess of the lower jaw between the lower teeth and the lower lip while the pressing portion is positioned in a recess of the upper jaw between the upper teeth and the upper lip, the pressing portion being shaped to be able to press upward the xe2x80x9cKoryouxe2x80x9d point from inside the upper lip.
The intraoral stimulating implement of the present invention may be arranged so that the mounting portion is mounted in a recess of the lower jaw between the lower teeth and the lower lip while the pressing portion is positioned in a recess of the upper jaw between the upper teeth and the upper lip, the pressing portion being shaped to be able to press upward the jaw articulation from inside the mouth.
It is preferred that the intraoral stimulating implement be provided at its peripheral portion with a cutaway portion for accommodating the upper lip frenulum between the gingival and the lip. It is preferred that intraoral stimulating implement is 1 to 3 mm in thickness. The mounting portion may be horizontally symmetric or vertically symmetric.
It is preferred that the intraoral stimulating implement of this embodiment be in the form of a plate-like confectionary such as chewing gum or chewing candy which is rigid at normal temperatures and is softened when chewed in the mouth.
The intraoral stimulating implement of the present invention may be in the form of candy, chocolate, rice cracker or biscuit.
The affected part to be pressed for treatment is a part such as a point, an articulation and the like pressing on which is expected to be effective for treatment.
The intraoral stimulating implement (confectionary) in accordance with the present invention may be formed of a material such as chewing gum which is rigid at normal temperatures and is flexible not to damage the inside of the mouth. Further the intraoral stimulating implement of the present invention may be arranged to be disposable, to be reusable or to be edible. Perfumery such as mint may be added.
The intraoral stimulating implement in accordance with the present invention can be used with ease without feeling a sense of incompatibility or resistance to introduction into the mouth and can be used on a street with no problem.
Since the intraoral stimulating implement of this invention comprises a pressing portion which can press an affected part and is integrally fixed to a mounting portion, anybody can easily and effectively stimulate from inside the mouth an affected part near the mouth for the purpose of various remedial values by only mounting the intraoral stimulating implement of this invention on the teeth. Further the intraoral stimulating implement of this invention is preferable also from the viewpoint of beauty since it does not leave no traces of treatment on the face unlike moxa treatment.
When the pressing portion is shaped to be able to press upward the xe2x80x9cGeikouxe2x80x9d point from inside the upper lip, olfaction abnormalities, symptoms of running nose due to cold or hay fever, nasal congestion and the like can be cured. It is especially effective to hay fever.
When the pressing portion is shaped to be able to press the xe2x80x9cBiryuxe2x80x9d point or the xe2x80x9cSanshouxe2x80x9d point, symptoms of nasitis can be lightened, and when the pressing portion is shaped to be able to press the xe2x80x9cKoryouxe2x80x9d point, symptoms of nasal catarrh, trigeminal neuralgia and facial paralysis can be lightened.
When the pressing portion is shaped to be able to press the jaw articulation behind the root of the upper and lower teeth, anybody can easily and effectively press the jaw articulation to obtain a finger-pressure cure effect and continue movement massage for a long time as will be described later, whereby strain of the affected part is lightened and various feelings of physical disorder can be lightened.
Further, when the intraoral stimulating implement of this invention is in the form of edible confectionary or gum, even persons who feel a sense of incompatibility to introduction of a foreign matter into the mouth or dislike introducing a foreign matter into the mouth can easily use it and at the same time it can be used with no problem on a street.